Buckle and strap tying machine



Oct. 4, 1960 H. M. DONALDSON 5 BUCKLE AND STRAP TYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HARRIS M. DONAL DSON BY I Z ATTOPNE V5 Oct. 4, 1960 H. M. DONALDSON 2,954,813

BUCKLE AND STRAP TYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HARRIS M. DONALDSON BYZ FM A TTO/PNEVS BUCKLE AND STRAP TYING MACHINE Harris M. Donaldson, San Mateo, Calif., assignor to Brumley-Donaldson Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 715,425

3 (Ilaims. (Cl. 153-1) The present invention relates to machines devised to attach buckles to straps such as are used code cotton bales, and, in particular, to such machines as will wrap a part of the strap around a portion of the buckle.

Cotton bales must be held together by the use of sturdy straps to overcome the expansion which follows the disengagement of the bale from the press. A variety of ways to tie these usually metal straps around the bales have been devised in the course of time, one of the most used ways consisting in sequentially inserting both ends of the compressed bale-surrounding strap through the slot or slots of a buckle and sandwiching these ends between the bale and the encircling portion of the strap for the purpose of augmenting the holding action of the buckle by frictional engagement between the strap ends and strap upon disengagement of the bale from the press and the resulting expansion thereof.

Mechanical means were subsequently disclosed where- 1 by the buckle could be securely fastened to one end 'of the strap prior to the bale tying operation and which resulted in an economy of strap material and labor costs. Patent No. 1,950,928, issued to R. W. Monten teaches such a method and apparatus. Reference is had to said patent here in view of the similarity which exists between the way in which the buckle is connected to the strap as a final end product in the patent and by the machine of the present invention.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for the wrap-tying of a buckle to a resilient strap which will be simple and fast operating.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical view of the apparatus with some of its hidden components shown in interrupted lines.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the subject apparatus.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 2, including a buckle dispensing apparatus not shown on Figure 2.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are also views taken along lines 3--3 of Figure 2, and showing the subject apparatus in three sequential stages of operation.

With reference to the drawings in detail, a rotor, or buckle holding member, 8 having lands 10 and 12, which are linked together slightly below their common axis of rotation by flat-top member 14, is supported for rotation by frame 16 borne by plate 18. Rotor lands 10 and 12 can be actuated in either direction by crank 20. Two identical and opposite slots 22 and 24 are incised within lands 10 and 12, extend diametrically from the top of member 14 to the periphery of the lands, and are devised to hold a buckle in conjunction with member 14. Arcuate guards 26 and 28 are positioned in concentrical and enveloping relation to the rotor, having slots 25 and 27 which permit the insertion of a buckle 46 within the slots 22 and 24 when they are aligned therewith. Feed apron 30 is adapted to slidably support the strap 47 which is inserted through the buckle slot 48, and stop member Unite rates PatetitfO tangential position to the cylindrical rotor land surfaces.

32, shown as an integral part of housing 16, limits the travel of the inserted strap end.

Jaw member 34, pivotally aflixed to shaft 36, bends the inserted strap portion by means of its rounded upper jaw 38, upon counter-clockwise rotation of the rotor to force the strap against jaw 38 and past it, and said jaw member 34 subsequently presses the strap against the sides of the buckle (Figure 5) upon further counterclockwise rotation of the rotor and consequent engagement of the buckle with lower jaw 40. This last operation takes place when the buckle, after engaging jaw 40, forces the jaw member 34 downwardly against the reaction of spring 42.

' The buckles are fed into the rotor by means of buckle magazine 44, shown in part, and vertical dispenser slide 45 which discharges a buckle into the rotor slots when the latter are not occupied by a buckle.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show the sequence of operation following the feeding of a buckle 46 into the rotor. The depth of rotor slots 22 and 24 is equal to the breadth of a buckle so that the upper edge of the latter takes a Guards 26 and 28 prevent the escape of the buckle during its rotation.

It will be seen that in this particular instance, the apparatus is built to accommodate buckles with slots ofiset toward one edge relatively to the axis of the buckles. This particular slot disposition permits tighter tying of the bales than is possible with axially located slots. The exact position of the slots does not affect the principle of the apparatus, however, and will not be elaborated on further herein.

With reference to Figure 4, the carrying surface, of apron 30, the slot 48 of buckle 46, the top of jaw 38 and stop member 32 are aligned to receive the end of strap 47. The subsequent counter-clockwise rotation of the rotor causes the aforedescribed bending of strap 47 by upper jaw 38 because the rigidity of the strap does not suflice to counteract spring 42, and jaw member 34 thus remains stationary. Further rotation brings about the aforementioned progressive envelopment of the edge of the buckle by the strap. Ultimately, the buckle engages lower jaw 40 and urges it downwardly against spring 42 to cause upper jaw 38 to press the terminal portion of the strap against the buckle, as shown in Figure 5.

The rotation of the rotor is then reversed, producing the disengagement of the buckle from jaw member 34. Further clockwise rotation brings the buckle against'the surface 49 of apron 30, thereby imparting further bending to strap 47, with the result that said strap is completely wrapped (360) around buckle leg portion 50 (Figures 6 and 7).

Strap 47 is then moved to the right to withdraw the wrapped buckle from the machine, as indicated by the dotted line portions of Figure 6, following which the rotor may be reversely rotated to the position of Figures 3-4 to receive another buckle from magazine 44.

An adjustable stop member 51 carried by strap stop element 32 is in engagement with jaw member 34, said stop member 51 being adapted to accurately pre-position the jaw member to accomplish the semi-wrap of the strap shown in Figure 5.

The manually operated embodiment of the machine shown and described may be rendered automatically operable, as, for example, by substituting for the crank 20 drive means comprising a reversing motor, switch controls therefor operable, for example, upon engagement of the strap end against stop 32, upon a predetermined compression of spring 42, and upon the buckle reaching the Figure 6 position. In combination therewith there may be readily provided means comprising twoholding member, a pivotally mounted integral jaw mem-' ber adjacently positioned With respect to said buckle holding member and comprising alower jaw and an up per jaw defining vthere'between a substantially U-shaped jaw opening, means to feed the strap through said slot and above the jaw member, means to limit'the inserted strap portion to a predetermined length, the toprof said upper jaw being adapted to unyieldingly engage said inserted strapportion upon rotation of said buckleholding member in one direction and to bend said portion partly around the edge of one leg portion of saidbuckle, .said lower jaw being adapted to yieldingly engage said buckle upon further rotation of said buckle holding member in said one direction and to cause said jaw member to further bend and press said strap portioninto 180 enveloping relation to said buckle leg portion, and means adapted to thereafter engage the non-inserted portion of saidstrap upon subsequent rotation in the other direction of said buckle holding member to thereby bend said strap and bring the same into 360 enveloping relation to said buckle leg portion.

.2. An apparatus of the class described comprising a rotatable holding member for a buckle having leg portions defining a slot, said member being adapted to,permit the insertion of a portion of a strap through said slot, means to limit the length of the strap portion passed through said slot, yieldingly movable rotatably mounted jaw means having spaced apart fixed first and second jaw elements positioned at one side of said holding member to receive therebetween Tone of said buckle leg portions, said jaw elements being adapted to sequentially engage said strap portion upon rotation in one direction of said buckle holding member to wrap said strap portion around one of 's'aid leg portions and to press said strap againstsaid leg portion, and stationary strap bending means positioned adjacent saidholding member in oppositely disposed relation to said jaw means operable upon rotation of said buckle holding member a predetermined degree in the other direction to impart a 360 wrap of said strap about said leg portion.

3. Apparatus for the wrapping of an end of a cotton bale tie strap around -one.of the slot-defining leg portions of a buckle comprising first means rotatably mounted adapted to receive and carry a buckle and enable the insertion through a slot thereof of the end of .a strap, rotatably mounted second meanshaving a substantially U-shaped jaw opening adapted to receive the buckle leg portion to be wrapped, said second means being operable upon rotation of said first means to a predetermined degree ,in one direction to wrap said strap end 180 around said leg portion of said buckle, and stationary third means operable upon rotation of said first means to a predetermined degree in theother direction to impart a360 wrap of said strap end around said leg portion of said buckle, said first means being disposed between andadjacent to said second and third means.

References Citediin the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,128,517 Rogers Feb. 16, 1915 1,950,928 .Monten Mar. 13, 1934 2,612,203 Smida Sept. 30, 1952 2,706,501 Townsend Apr. 19,, 1955 

